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Thursday, March 15, 2012

[PHI 1000] Does classification imply explanation?

We all know the saying, "correlation does not imply causation." Does classification imply explanation? In other words, by classifying a thing into a certain category have we answered any questions about the nature of that thing?

For example, by saying that John and Jane are members of the species Homo sapiens, have we explained what makes them human? Similarly, by saying that Homo sapiens belong to the genus Homo, have we explained what makes them humans?

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Mastering the art of Critical Thinking allows one to fend off verbal attacks on one's mind just as mastering a martial art allows one to fend off physical attacks on one's body. Critical Thinking involves: analyzing claims, assessing evidence for claims, figuring out how evidence supports claims, questioning what doesn't make sense, and deciding what is worthy of belief. This blog is about using critical thinking skills both inside and outside the classroom. Its goal is to help my students become critical thinkers.